UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar. October 13, 2012. HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The third UFC event in Rio de Janeiro. The original main event — Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar for the Featherweight Championship — was cancelled after Aldo suffered a foot injury in a motorcycle accident on September 1. Anderson Silva volunteered to move up to light heavyweight on 32 days notice to save the event, facing
Anderson Silva defeated
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: October 13, 2012
Venue: HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (third UFC in Rio)
Attendance: 16,844; Gate: $2,500,000; PPV: 375,000
Main Event: Anderson Silva (MW champion) vs. Stephan Bonnar — LHW non-title, 3 rounds (original: Aldo vs. Edgar FW title; Aldo motorcycle accident withdrawal)
Result: Silva def. Bonnar — TKO (Knee to Body + Punches) — R1, 4:40; ANDERSON SILVA’S LAST UFC WIN
Notable: Silva volunteered on 32 days notice; taunted Bonnar against cage for 4+ min; first person to KO Bonnar in UFC; Teixeira def. Maldonado; Nogueira wins in Rio; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
Jose Aldo suffered a foot injury in a motorcycle accident on September 1, 2012 and withdrew from his FW title defence against Frankie Edgar. The event’s main card was left without a marquee fight. Anderson Silva offered to step in and fight anyone at light heavyweight to save the event. On September 12, it was announced that
Main Event
Anderson Silva vs. Stephan Bonnar — LHW Non-Title (3 rounds)
Stephan Bonnar came out aggressively, pressing
After four minutes of this display, Anderson Silva exploded with a knee that connected directly with
Co-Main Event
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Dave Herman — Heavyweight
Nogueira fought in Rio for the first time in his UFC career and won by TKO, connecting with the home crowd. It was a memorable moment for one of the sport’s all-time legends in his adopted home city.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Gleison Tibau def. Francisco Trinaldo — Decision — R3 — LW
Cezar Marcello def. Reza Madadi — Submission — R? — LW
Jon Fitch def. Erick Silva — Decision — R3 — WW
Main Card
Glover Teixeira def. Fabio Maldonado — TKO — R? — LHW; Teixeira continues impressive UFC run
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Dave Herman — TKO — R? — HW; Co-Main; Nogueira in Rio
LHW Non-Title (3 rounds) — Main Event
Anderson Silva def.
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Anderson Silva — $65,000.
Fight/Performance Bonuses: Various — $65,000 per recipient.
Records & Milestones
Anderson Silva — last UFC win; his professional record inside the UFC closed at 16 consecutive victories across his title run; he lost to Chris Weidman at UFC 162 the following year.
Stephan Bonnar — first fighter to knock out Bonnar by strikes in the UFC; Bonnar had gone unfinished by strikes in 11 previous UFC appearances.
Third UFC in Rio — following UFC 134 (August 2011) and UFC 142 (January 2012); HSBC Arena confirmed as the UFC’s primary Brazilian venue.
Legacy & Impact
Anderson Silva’s UFC 153 performance is his last win in the promotion’s record books. What made it notable was not the opponent — Bonnar was not a title-level challenger at that stage of his career — but the method. Four minutes of deliberate taunting, hands down, absorbing combinations against the cage, then a single knee that ended it. It was the performance of someone who understood the distance between himself and his competition so completely that the fight became a display rather than a contest.
Anderson Silva’s volunteers to save the event was noted publicly and positively by Dana White and the UFC. Less than nine months later, in July 2013, he lost to Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in the second round.
FAQ
Why was the original UFC 153 main event cancelled?
Jose Aldo suffered a foot injury in a motorcycle accident on September 1, 2012, and withdrew from his UFC FW Championship defence against Frankie Edgar. The main card lost its marquee fight.
Why did Anderson Silva volunteer for UFC 153?
Silva offered to fight anyone at light heavyweight on short notice to save the card after Aldo withdrew. He stepped in 32 days before the event, moving up from middleweight to face Stephan Bonnar in a non-title bout.
Was UFC 153 Anderson Silva's last UFC win?
Yes. Silva defeated Bonnar by TKO at 4:40 of round one. He fought Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July 2013 and lost by KO in round two. That was his final win in the UFC.
Was Stephan Bonnar ever knocked out before UFC 153?
No. Silva was the first fighter to finish Bonnar by strikes inside the UFC. In 11 previous UFC appearances, Bonnar had never been stopped by strikes.
Was UFC 153 the third UFC event in Rio?
Yes. It followed UFC 134 in August 2011 and UFC 142 in January 2012, both also at HSBC Arena.
References
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